Mouse-proof piano key-frame.



G. L. OLDS.

MOUSE PROOF PIANO KEY FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.13,1909,

963,929. Patented July 12, 1910.

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O. L. OLDS. MOUSE PROOF PIANO KEY FRAME.

' .APPLiUATION FILED OOT. 13,1909. 963,929, I Patented July 12,1910. I 1 i 5 -T 6 Q Qg J3 I A Q 3 H N G) |J\ 3 N Q Q R 1\ g 2;. T g Q w I 2A,, awum-boz CL. Olzis,

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s ecification of Letters Patent. ai;ent@fl h ty 12, 15310,

Application area fictoherm, 190s. Seria1 1o. 522,380.

'0 all where it may, concern:

Be itknown' that I, this rose L. time, a oitirenof the United States, residing at En1d,'1n the coLintgQf Gr-ar ield and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful,lmproyenients in Mouse-Proof Piano Key-Frames, of which the following .15 a

specification. I This invention relates to the construction of p anos, and more particularly to'jsupports forkey boards, and has-for its object to provide a key frame of a novel construction, solarranged as to be proof a ainst the v entrance'jof name or other smal rodents specific structure'shown and describedmay specification, and in which like numerals of be made withiirthe scope of the claim with out departing from the spirit of the 111-.

vention. I

In the drawings orming a portion of this reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a top view of a key board showing the arrangementof the key levers. Fig.2 is a similar view with the key levers removed, F g. 3 IS a cross sectional View of the device showing a portion of the supporting piano frame, Fig. at is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, Fig. 5

is a detail end view-, Fig. 6 is'a detail per spective' view of one of the end. closing members,

Referring to the drawings, there is shown aportion of a piano including the key frame bed 11 upon which'is supported the present invention. in key frames. This frame comprises the longitudinally extending touch rail 12 and key lever rest 12 connected by intermediate mortised cross pieces 13 upon which there is supported the longitudinally extending balance rail leidisposed intermediately of the touch rail and lever rest. A each end or the frame, there are connecting cross beams 15 which will be subsequently described in detail.

In the usual construction of pianos, the key-frame is made of a length slightly shorter than the space within the sustaining arm portions of the pianocasing, leaving a space vat each end thereof for the disposal tical oer-forations therethrou 11 receivin n b slidably res ective pins 17. The balance rail is raise slightly above the level of the touch railfand leverrest and in normal position the key levers liein close relation with the'le'ver rest- 12', theirforward ends 'bein dis osed ina common line .flush with the front edge of the frame which is dis-'. v

j posed closely adjacent the key slip 19. The

touch rail checks the'downward movement of the keys when operated by the pianist.

As indicated above, ordinarily the space between the end 'key'levers and the cross pieces 1-5 is open andallows the entrance' of-mice beneaththe key levers, where they are in the habit of building their nests and accumulating filth of various kinds, which in addition to endangering the health of users of the instrument also impairs the action of the keys; and the mice themselves frequently damage parts of the piano, gnawing away felt from beneath the keys; they also create a noise by their scurrying.

In order to close the end of the frame, I form'the cross pieces 15 with an extension 20 projecting laterally beyond the rear end of the blocks 16, and an upwardly extending guard: flange 21, the inner face of which "is disposed flush with the inner face of the blocks 16, each of which lies commonly in close proximity to the sides of the end levers of the key board. Thus the access of mice throi'igh the end of the frame is effectively guarded against.

lVhile the front portions of the key levers extend in close parallel relation, the'inner portions of the keys extend at an angle with respect to the front portions, the angle beginning usually on a line with the fulcrum plate or a slight distance inwardly thereof. The keys are usually arranged in three, possibly more, sets, the inner portions of which diverge with respect to each other from given points, in order to avoid the supports for the hammer mechanism, As illustrated, these points of division occur at A and B in -Fig. 1, which in the usual construction of pianos' leaves a broad space through which mice have no difliculty iii-gaining access to the spaces beneath the key levers. In order to close this opening, I have rovided the wedge-shaped members 25, w ich are secured to the rear stringer 12 and pro ect --seen that every point of access to the space beneath the keys is closed, and a key frame provided in which may be incor orate'd any of the desirable features alrea y found in such constructions without detriment in any way. It will be observed that the guards 21 extend at an angle to the end of the frame, so that they maintain their close proximity to the key levers throughout the length of the flanges.

The rearlever rest 12 is preferably located at the inner edge of the frame bed, and directly beneath the connections for the hammers, so that the entire space beneath the keys is madeproof against mice. The space beneath the key levers is the one in which the mice usually make their nests, though occasionally they do occupy space in the bottom portion of the piano case, and

by the present construction no convenient rest member arranged to support the inner portions of the key levers, a plurality of members connecting the touch rail and le ver rest, a balance rail carried intermediately of the touch plate and rear member, end cross pieces carried between the touch rail and rear member, said end pieces carrying a laterally extending portion upon their inner end portions, and vertical flanges carried thereby; and wedge-shaped members carried by the rear member and extending between certain of the key'levers to prevent access therebetween, substantially as and for the ,purpose described.

' In'testimony whereof 'I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L.-OLDS. \Vi-tnesses:

M. SMiTH, O. E. MERKLI GHAUB. 

